Stirring or poking apparatus for electric furnaces



Oct. 21, 1930. P. L. J. MIGUET 1,778,809

STIRRING OR POKING APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC FURNACES Filed Oct. 29, 1928 4 2 SheetsSheet 1 .1 em 3 Z9 20 0a. 21, 1930. P. J. mum 1,

STIRRING OR POKING APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC FURNACES Filed Oct. 29, 1928 2 sheets-sheet 2 5 I lo 529 5 v Patented Oct. 21, 1930 'NITED STATES FFICE PAUL LOUIS "JOSEPH MIGUET, OF MONTBICHER, NEAR ST. JULIEN DE I ZA'UBIENNE, FRANCE, ASSIGNOB TO SOCIETE ELECTROMETALLURGIQUE DE MONTRICHER, F SAINT-JULIEN-DE-MAURIENNE, SAVOIE, FRANCE STIRRIN G OR POKING APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC FURNACEQ Application filed October 29, 1928, Serial No. 315 841, and in France February 7, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in stirring or poking apparatus for electric furnaces. v

In feeding material to electric furnaces it has been found that the conductivity of all parts of the fusion bed varies, the material clogs on the electrode and that gas pockets occur at the surface of the molten and solid materials. In order to remedy these irregu-- lar occurring conditions some means for poking and stirring the mass of material being treated in the furnace has been necessary.

cylinder to operate the poking and stirring bers 3 on the cylinders.

rods, an annular movable su port carryin the air cylinders, the support Being arrange concentric with the electrode and a horizontal cylinder to give movement to the circular support.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the air cylinder.

I Fig. "3 is a vertical section of same.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the cylinder and poking rods detached.

A plurality of air cylinders 1, arranged at an angle of about 45 to the vertical, are

mounted upon a movable annular support 2 which surrounds the base of the electric furs nace shown in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3. The cylinders are secured to the support 2 by brackets 4 which are aflixed to channel mem- The support 2 is supported by the horizontal rollers 17 and guided by the vertical rollers 17, each set of which rollers are mounted on a bracket 17 fixed to the wall of the furnace. The piston rods 5 extend through the cylinder ends and each are provided with a crosshead 6, which slides in uides 6 on the gear case 8 A toothed plnion 7 is mounted on the end of each piston rod 5 and engages a stationary rack 8 secured to the gear casing 8 and also engages a movable rack 9. The rack 9 is provided with rollers 13 at either end which run in a U shaped channel 14. The middle of the rack 9 is pivotally connected to the centre of a yoke 11 by a pin 12 and two rods 10 are aflixed to the two ends of the yoke. In this way the'movement imparted to the rods 10 is double that of the iston in the cylinder 1. Guide rings 15 of su stantially larger internal diameter than the diameter of the rods 10 are provided through each of which a rod 10 passes. The rings 15 are mounted on brackets 16 rigidly afiixed to the casing 8 and to the channels 14.

In order to impart a lateral movement to the cylinders 1 the annular support 2 is connected to one end of a piston rod reciprocating" in a cylinder 18 by which a partial rotary movement is given to the cylinders 1.

The piston 23 in the cylinder 18 may be moved either in the direction of the arrow 24: or in the reverse direction by compressed air or steam. These fluidsare conveyed to the cylinder by pipes which are connected to the ends of the cylinder. A manually operable valve 22 is provided in the pipe line to control the supply to and the exhaust from each end of the cylinder. Said cylinder is pivotally mounted as at 26 and the piston rod is pivotally connected to the support 2 as at 25. The poker reciprocating cylinders 1 are braced by rods 28 which are connected to the cylinders near their outer ends and the movement of their pistons 21 is caused and conrods 10 are however pivoted to the racks 9 by theyokesll and accordingly do not remain permanently parallel with the racks but pivot about the yokes 11 to an extent al-' lowed by the guide rings 15. In this manner a poking and also a stirring action is im' parted to the rods 10.

By this construction it is possible to employ heavier rods than is possible with manual poking and the mass is kept much more even throughout, the arrangement being applicable even in the cases of the high temperatures which prevail in the reduction of silica.

What I claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. Stirring and poking apparatus for electric furnaces comprising a plurality of pneumatic cylinders arranged symmetrically about the electrode, a plurality of piston rods,

a plurality of pinions one on each piston rod,

a plurality of racks each operated by pistons in said cylinders and a plurality of poking rods operated by the rac s.

2. Stirring and poking apparatus for electric furnaces comprising a plurality of-pneumatic cylinders arranged symmetrically about the electrode, a plurality of piston rods, a plurality of pinions one on each piston rod, a pluralit of racks each operated by pistons in said cy inders, a plurality of stirring and poking rods operated by the racks, an annuar support upon which the pneumatic cylinders are mounted and a horizontal cylinder having a piston therein to give a to and fro movement to the annular support.

3. Stirring and poking apparatus for electric furnaces comprising a plurality of pneumatic cylinders arranged symmetrically about the electrode, a plurality of piston rods,

a plurality of pinions one on each iston rod,

a plurality of racks eachoperated y a piston in said cy inders, yokes the racks, a plurality o stirring and poking rods operated by the racks, an annular support upon which the pneumatic cylinders are mounted and a horizontal cylinder having a piston therein to give a to and fro movement to the annular support.

1. A stirring and poking apparatus comprismg a poker; power operated means for reclprocatlng sald poker axially; and a second power operated means for moving said poker and reciprocating means laterally to and fro.

her; a power operated means for reciprocating each of said pokers axially; and a second power operated means for oscillating said pokers laterally.

7, A stirring and poking apparatus for furnaces,comprising an annular support sur- .'rounding the furnace; a plurality of pneu- In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

PAUL LOUIS JOSEPH MIGUET.

pivotally connected to 4 5. A stirring and poking apparatus comprising a poker; a pneumatic cylinder and a piston coacting therewith adapted to reciprocate said poker axially; and a second pneumatic cylinder and a piston coacting therewith adapted to oscillate said poker laterally.

6. A stirring and poking apparatus for I furnaces, comprising a plurality of pokers arranged around the periphery of the furnace chamber and adapted to be projected into the material being treated in the cham- 

